Noni had a test coming up and she needed to study hard and research a lot, plus she had an assignment. But Keith was on her mind. She couldn’t push him away from her mind. It was the only thing that made her go on. She decided to forget Keith for a day and avoided seeing him. Maybe that would make her concentrate.

She sat in the library with a lot of books and Suzanne joined her. Noni was surprised to see her reading because Noni was always in her own world.

“You are doing good, no daydreaming,” she whispered, with a grin.

“After I pass I will concentrate on Keith, he must be back in the palm of my hand,” Noni whispered.

Suzanne opened her mouth wider and stared at the people who quietly had their eyes on books.

“You are going to get hurt. This obsession with Keith must stop.” She ground her teeth and opened a book when the librarian walked past them.

Noni smiled and ignored her. She didn’t care what her friend said or thought. She had already made a decision.

She passed her exams and went on with her obsession with Keith.

“The boy is mine. The boy is mine,” Noni sang while showering.

It was drizzling in the morning, the hot weather had been too much. The smell of the soil made her rejoice, the heat was draining her body and she loved the coolness. She danced as the water flew on her body, she didn’t realise how long she had been in the shower. A knock disturbed her. Noni sighed, wishing it was her own world alone, like Adam. She wiped her face because she wanted to be sure if it was someone at the door.

“Who is it?” she shouted, irritated.

“We wanna use the bathroom, its seems like you own it nxaa,” a voice answered, clicking her tongue.

Noni took her towel, wrapped her body, took her toiletry bag and walked out, only to see the new girl who was now Keith’s girlfriend. Noni shoved her into the wall. Noni wanted to smack her for disrespecting her.

“You steal other’s people boyfriends,” Noni hissed.

The other girl pushed her off, struggling to hold her towel up, and walked away.

Noni’s joy disappeared after the incident. She wished she had smacked the girl, that would have made her ugly, with a swollen eye and cheek. She adored her beauty though.

Later, in a lesson, she was busy brainstorming ideas in a group. She was the one plotting better ideas than her partners. Suzanne had been called for an emergency at home. The door banged open. Noni didn’t bother to look, she thought it was a bunch of noisy losers. Keith walked faster and furiously dragged her outside. She tried to break free, but his hand held her tightly and strongly. The students followed to watch the drama, some by the window and some by the door.

“What the hell do you think you are doing?” he shouted.

Keith looked at her furiously and she had never seen this side of him. Noni was afraid and said nothing. She was afraid he would beat her even though he had never abused her before.

“I told you it’s over, why do you go around telling people you own me? Who told you I love you?” he continued shouting.

Tell us: What would you do in Noni’s position?